Roll-out walkway and patio sections with flexible backing

ABSTRACT

Flat, portable, structures constructed of boards or treads mounted on a flexible backing for use as straight or curved walkway sections or patio sections which can be rolled up like carpeting and carried by a person of medium strength. The full-size, substantially impervious, flexible backing material is prevents mud, weeds, sand and hazardous or noxious materials and insects from coming through the walkway or floor. The top surface is designed to provide beauty and sufficient stability for pedestrians, even those with some disability in walking, and for wheelchairs, scooters, strollers, etc.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of PPA Application No. 60/467,746Filing Date May, 2, 2003 Confirmation No. 9329

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to roll-out, portable, straight and curvedwalkway sections and patio flooring sections which are constructed witha full-size flexible backing material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People commonly need flat, stable surfaces outdoors in order to overcomeinhospitable natural terrain conditions, to facilitate walking or usinga wheelchair, scooter or baby stroller, and for situating outdoorfurniture. Improved outdoor surfaces are also desirable aesthetically aslandscape enhancements. Further, improved temporary surfaces can berequired for accessing casualties and property in emergency situationswhere hazards are underfoot. Even in the best of circumstances naturalterrain is typically dirty, wet or yielding and too uneven for furnitureor wheeled conveyances. An easily portable, stable pathway which can berolled-up and carried by a person of medium strength and which will fitin the trunk compartment of most small automobiles fills numerous needs:aesthetic, comfort-providing, and critical. Such a walkway whichincorporates an impervious and full-sized flexible backing alsoaddresses the problem of irritating or venomous plants and insectsunderfoot, and stops weed-growth.

Providing such a flat surface traditionally required the construction ofnon-portable structures such as stone, concrete, block or brick pathsand patios. These are expensive and require some skill and significantheavy labor to install. They obviously can not be rolled up andtransported to temporary locations. Further, they include grout seamswhich will grow weeds and become home to insects like ants. Over timefreezing weather causes heaving and cracking resulting in an uneven,even dangerous surface. Wood boardwalks require footers dug into theground and are beyond the scope of most homeowners, they are usedprimarily in public areas.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,386 provided modular platforms which are essentiallytemporary floors hinged at the sides designed to protect sub-surfacessuch as grass, while dispersing the concentrated weight loads of people,equipment and vehicles and providing irrigation to grassy areasunderneath. This invention does not address the need for short walkwaysand small patios made of sections small enough to be owned, stored andhandled by one individual of medium strength, which can be rolled up theway one rolls a carpet runner and carried in a car trunk. This inventiondoes not lend itself to permanent installation for the purpose ofproviding aesthetic landscape enhancement by means of the beauty of itsmaterials, nor can it be used to create curving or winding paths aslandscape enhancements. This invention requires the use of a lever fordetachment of treads.

The idea of a roll-out, portable garden path is addressed by The ArthurWilbur Company, Inc. (outdoordecor.com) with their product comprised ofnumerous 1.91 cm (0.75 in.) thin slats of cypress wood strung togetherwith nylon ropes: basically a thin, ladder-like object to be laid on theground and walked upon. It has no backing material and thus the spacesbetween the slats are thoroughly open. On wet or sandy terrain it beginsimmediately to sink. Without a backing the Wilbur Company's productoffers no protection against noxious plants or insects underfoot, andsharp objects like broken glass or hot elements from a fire can extendupwards through the slats making the product unsuitable for use at anemergency scene. Nor is the product suitable for permanent mounting inthe landscape as weeds very soon come through the thin slats andovertake the structure altogether. Moreover, the thinness of the slatsand ropes makes this product quickly subject to deterioration by sun andweather.

Background of Invention—Objects and Advantages

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

(a) to provide a flat structure for use as a portable walkway, patio orfloor which can be rolled up and rolled out in a manner similar to thata person uses to roll a carpet, of a size and weight that can betransported in most small car trunk compartments and lifted by anindividual of medium strength;

(b) to provide the walkways, patios and floors in sections which can bejoined together without hardware or tools in order to form largerconfigurations in various sizes and shapes;

(c) to provide walkway sections with a solid, flexible backing materialwhich prevents weeds, mud, sand and many hazardous materials from comingthrough the treads, and which prevents insects from building nestsbetween the treads;

(d) to provide walkway sections which, though portable, are sturdy andstable enough for use with wheelchairs, scooters, baby strollers, and bypeople with walking aids such as crutches, walkers, etc.;

(e) to provide walkway sections which, though portable, are comprised oftough and weather-resistant materials such that they can be installedpermanently in the landscape if desired and will remain free of decayand weed growth for many years;

(f) to provide walkway sections using materials with aesthetic appeal sothe structures may be used as landscape enhancements;

(g) to provide curved walkway sections which add a potential forcreative design by creating 45 degree or right-angle turns whenincorporated in a walkway;

(h) to provide patio block sections which are square in shape and can bejoined to form patios, dance floors, platforms, etc.

SUMMARY

In accordance with these and other objectives, provided is a portablestraight walkway section, a portable curved walkway section, and aportable patio section, suitable for use as flooring, comprisingsubstantially weather-resistant treads sound enough to bear foot- orwheelchair- traffic, affixed to a full-size, substantially imperviousand weather-resistant flexible backing material by means ofsubstantially weather-resistant fasteners, with sufficient spacingallowed between each tread such that the finished section can be rolledup like a carpet for easy transporting by hand.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a top and a bottom view of a straight section ofwalkway comprised of treads attached to a flexible backing.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a top and bottom view of a curved section ofwalkway comprised of treads attached to a flexible backing.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a top and bottom view of a patio block sectioncomprised of treads attached to a flexible backing.

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the treads and backing comprising thestraight walkway, curved walkway and patio block sections.

FIG. 5 shows the method of joining the sections.

FIG. 6 shows a random configuration in which a straight walkway sectionis joined to a curved walkway section.

FIG. 7 shows a random configuration in which four patio block sectionsare joined to form a square patio.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

11 tread

12 backing

13 fasteners

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The straight walkway section of the present invention is illustratedfrom above in FIG. 1A. The boards or treads 11 are of cypress wood, eachtread being 76.2 cm (30 in.) long by 9.68 cm (3.81 in.) wide and 2.22 cm(0.88 in.) in thickness There are spaces of 1.43 cm (0.56 in.) betweeneach tread. Twenty-two such treads are attached (from below) withstainless steel staples 13 to a piece of 45 mil EPDM pond liner rubberas backing 12 which is 76.20 cm (30 in.) wide and 2.51 m (8 ft. 3 in.)long. The resulting walkway is 76.20 cm (30 in.) wide and 2.44 m (8 ft.)long, with an additional 3.81 cm (1.50 in) of backing extending fromeach of the two narrow ends of the section to provide a frictionconnection for joining with another straight or curved section.

The straight walkway section is illustrated from below in FIG. 1B. The45 mil EPDM pond liner rubber 2 is attached to the bottom of the treadsby means of 2.54 cm (1 in.) crown by 1.91 cm (0.75 in.) leg stainlesssteel staples 3. The staples 13 are inserted through the rubber 12 andinto the treads 11 using a pneumatic stapler. For convenience andprecision during construction the treads are held in a jig which hasbeen designed for the purpose and marked to indicate the position of therows of staples. The backing is positioned and stapled. Each treadreceives 4 staples, approximately 22.86 cm (9 in.) apart, beginning andending approximately 3.81 cm (1.50 in) in from the outside end of eachtread.

The curved walkway section of the present invention is illustrated fromabove in FIG. 2A. The treads 11 are of the same material, width andthickness as those used in the straight walkway and are fastened andspaced just as they are in the straight walkway. The treads are arrangedin a design which, when joined to another section, will yield a 45degree turning. There are seven parallel treads, graduating in length.The consecutive lengths of the seven treads are listed here, fromlongest to shortest: 135.26 cm (53.25 in.), 130.33 cm (51.31 in.),121.13 cm (47.69 in.), 111.91 cm (44.06 in.), 102.72 cm (40.44 in.),93.50 cm (36.81 in.), 84.30 cm (33.19 in.).

The resulting curved walkway section is 76.20 cm (30 in.) wide on threesides and 135.26 cm (53.25 in.) on one side.

The curved walkway section is illustrated from below in FIG. 2B. Thebacking 12 is attached to the bottom of the treads by means of staples13. The two shortest treads receive four staples each, the three middletreads receive five staples each, and the two longest treads receive sixstaples each, so that the distance of approximately 22.86 cm (9 in.)between staples is maintained.

The patio section of the present invention is illustrated from above inFIG. 3A. The treads 11 are of the same material, width and thickness asthose used in the walkways and are fastened and spaced just as they arein the walkways. Nine treads, each 99.06 cm (39 in.) in length areattached (from below) to the backing 12 which is 102.87 cm (40.5 in.)square. The finished patio section is 99.06 cm (39 in.) square, with anadditional 3.81 cm (1.5 in) of backing extending from two adjacent sidesto provide a friction connection for joining with additional patiosections.

Operation

Because of the 1.43 cm spacing between each tread, the sections roll uplike a carpet, with the treads on the outside of the roll. In thismanner they are shipped, stored and transported. One person can unrolland position the walkway, pulling it across the ground for precisepositioning. In order to join two sections together a person simplyplaces the second section in position, being sure to overlap theextending rubber backing margins and pull the walkways close enough tocreate a space between the end boards of each walkway similar in widthto the spaces between all other boards. The straight walkway sectionseach weigh approximately 45 pounds and engage the ground withoutslipping even when used on slight grades or slopes.

Primary Advantage

From the description above, a primary advantage of our invention becomesevident: the use of a substantially impervious backing dramaticallyimproves the sturdiness and functionality of the portable walkway byeliminating weeds, unstable terrain and hazardous materials fromovercoming the path.

Ramifications and Scope

Accordingly, it is clear that the roll-out walkway, pathway, and patioflooring sections of this invention can be used to improve naturalsurfaces outdoors conveniently, quickly, and affordably and will enableeven people with certain physical limitations to move about withrelative ease. Our invention can be used for simple ease of walking orin emergencies where broken glass, hot surfaces, live wires or otherperils lie underfoot. The walkways can be used to beautify parks andpublic buildings by creating designs with curves such as octagons todefine floral beds around trees, or large ovals to encircle ponds, lakesand water gardens, etc. In addition, the water-resistant materialscomprising this invention make the walkways ideally suited for useindoors in spas, gyms, saunas, behind bars in restaurants, and aroundpools and hot tubs. Wet indoor areas such as these need sturdy stableflooring which can be removed for the purpose of cleaning anddisinfecting the area underneath. And with our invention it is feasibleto create a large permanent wood patio outside almost instantly.

Although the description above contains much specificity, this shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding illustrations of some embodiments of this invention. Forexample, the treads can be of cypress, cedar, redwood or other woods, orplastic and plastic/wood composites and other man-made materials.Similarly, the backing material can be of rubber, plastic cloth or anyflexible material suitable for the purpose. Fasteners can be stainlesssteel staples or any other such products suitable for the purpose. Otherconfigurations of the basic structures detailed here can be added asadaptations to the size and shape of the flooring sections, and customconfigurations on the same basic lines can be commissioned.

1. A flat structure for use as a section of portable roll-out walkway,patio or floor comprising: (a) a plurality of treads; (b) a sheet offlexible backing material; and (c) means for attaching said treads tosaid backing material, the treads of claim 1 wherein are formed fromwood or a man-made material, the backing material of claim 1 wherein isformed from rubber or plastic, the means for attaching of claim 1wherein comprises stainless steel staples.
 2. A flat structure for useas a section of portable roll-out walkway, patio or floor, sufficientlyflexible along its length to be rolled up like a carpet, comprising: (a)a plurality of elongate treads substantially rectangular in plan; (b) asheet of flexible backing material the full size of the structure andalso extending in a narrow margin beyond at least one edge of thestructure for providing a friction connection with the margin on anothersection; the treads of claim 2 wherein are beveled or rounded along bothtop surface outer edges; whereby sections of said flat structure may berolled up, and whereby sections of said flat structure may be joined inany desired configuration.